Process of printing on two-color lithographic presses



1 (No Model.)

F. J. KALLENBAGH. PROCESS or PRINTING ON TWO COLOR LITHOGRAPHIG PRESSES.No. 595,716.

Patented Dec. 21, 1897 fwuwwmf' MJZJZ 649 6.1? I

v these colors and tints in couples in a certain STATES PROCESS OFPRINTING. ON TWO-COLOR LITHOGRAPHIC PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,716, dated December21, 1897.

Application filed August 7, 1897. Serial No. 647,481. (No specimens.)

T 0 (LU whom, 77; 772.1 cone/17 Be it known that I, FERDINAND J. KALLEN-BACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kingscounty, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inthe Art of Printing on Two-Color Lithographic Presses, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has relation to printing in colors from surfacesas thoseof lithographic stones, for example-where the printing is to be done ontwo-color presses.

The difficulty heretofore experienced in printing two colors insuccession on a twocolor lithographic press has been that the wet colorapplied to the sheet from the first stone sets off on the second stonefrom the'sheet while it is receiving the second color, and after a fewimpressions the second stone begins to take the second color at thispoint, which is then printed on the sheet in the form of a smutch anddirectly on the spot where the first color has been printed by the firststone. This difficulty does not occur in printing on single-colorpresses, as the color previously printed on the sheet is allowed to drybefore the next color is printed; but in two-color presses the secondcolor is printed before the first becomes dry.

I have discovered that by first selecting and classifying certain colorsand tints to be used in printing a work in color, then grouping order,and then placing the colors or tints of each couple on the stones of thetwo-color press in a certain order such a press may be employedsuccessfully in producing multicolored work. For example, if the twocolors or tints to be printed on the two-color press be of such acharacter that they may be superimposed while wet,the stronger anddarker color or tint being printed from the first stone or plate and theweaker and lighter from the second stone or plate, and the two tints orcolors selected for the printing be of such a character that the lightermay be printed on or over the darker without injury to the latter, thenexcellent work may be done with a two-color press; and it is the art ofthus selecting the colors or tints, arranging them in pairs or couples,and preparing the stones or plates with the colors or tints of the pairin the proper order or sequence-that constitutes the essential featuresof my invention.

It is also desirable in the selection and arran geinent of the colors ortints in the picture to be printed in colors that the darker of the twocolors of the pair shall cover surfaces of lessor no greater area thanthe lighter color of the pair andthat the spots or figures of the darkercolor shall be included in the area covered by the lighter color, andthis is generally the arrangement in a colored picture.

In carrying out my invention I classify the colors or tints to be usedin pairs, for harmony, and on the basis that the lighter of the twocolors may be superimposed on the darker while the latter is Wet withoutinjury to the darker color. Also, in arranging the colors in the pictureI aim to include the areas to be covered by the darker color within thearea or areas to be covered by the lighter color. Then in preparing thestones or plates the darker color is transferred to the first stone orplate in the two-color press and the lighter color is transferred to thesecond stone in the press.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1shows the first stone with the darker color transferred thereto, andFig. 2 shows the second stone with the lighter color transferredthereto. Fig. 3 shows the sheet with both colors of the design orpicture printed thereon successively by the two stones.

To illustrate the operation, suppose, for example, the pair of colors ortints selected are dark blue and light blue, the dark blue at to beprinted from the first stone A in Fig. 1 and the light blue I) to beprinted from the second stone B in Fig. 2. In the process of printingfrom these stones the darker color a is first printed on the sheet 0,(seen in Fig. 3,) and the sheet then passes, while the darker ink is yetwet, to the second stone B to receive the lighter color I); but thegreat pressure of the sheet 0 on the second stone will, owing to thefatty nature of the ink, cause the fat from this ink to overcome theresistance offered by the water 'on the second stone and thus preparethis latter stone to take ink at the points where the dark-blue inkhasbeen brought into contact with it. This effect is not apt to beproduced until after a few impressions have been made, as the water onthe second stone will offer some resistance; but after a time thelight-blue ink from the roller which supplies ink to the second stonewill be applied on the spots referred to, and this ink will be printedover or 011 the darkblue ink on the sheet. The effect of this will berather to intensify or increase the depth of the dark-blue color, if itbe noticeable at all, and the operator will in preparing his tints makedue allowance for this. There will be no difference of color produced inthis case, but only a slight difference of intensity of the darkercolor, due to the application of one on the other while wet. Fig. 3shows the sheet C with the two colors a and I) printed thereon from thestones A and B. If the lighter color were transferred to the first stoneA and the darker color to the second stone B, the effect would be thatthe lighter color, under the pressure in the press, would prepare thesecond stone to receive the darker ink at the points where the lighterink on the sheet was impressed upon it, and these points would take upthe darker ink from the roller. Consequently after a few impressions thedarker ink would be printed on the sheet over the whole design, thedarker ink being printed over that portion of the design printed in thelighterink from the first stone and practically obscuring it. Hence thedarker color must be printed from the first stone. As stated above, theeffect of printing with the lighter color over the darker, both colorsbeing in an undried or wet condition on the sheet and selected accordingto my invention, is to intensify the darker color slightly, but not toproduce a different color. WVhere a different color is to be produced bysuperimposing colors, it is preferable to print the second color afterthe first is dry. For example, such colors as green, producedbysuperimposing blue on yellow, or purple, produced by superimposingblue on red, may be produced 011 a two-color press; but, as statedabove, it is best to allow the first color to dry before the second isapplied. For this reason the formation of greens, purples, and the likeon a two-color press will usually follow that of ordinary single-colorpresswork-that is, the two colors required to produce the compound colorwill not be put on the press and printed at the same time.

In choosing colors in pairs that will harmonize and mix or blendproperly when superimposed or run together the ordinary pigment colors,red, pink, dark blue, light blue, deep yellow, pale yellow, black, andgray,

may be paired as follows: red first, pink second; dark blue first, lightblue second; deep yellow first, pale yellow second; black first, graysecond. With inks of these colors arranged in this way, run through atwocolor press four times, an eight-color picture or lithograph may beproduced without difficulty, provided the directions given above for thearrangement of the colors is followed.

My method of printing on a two-color press is applicable to what isgenerally designated lithographic printing, whether it be done from astone, an aluminium plate, or other plate absorbent of water.

It must be understood that while I have referred to the printing of aneight-color picture and have given examples of eight pairs of colors Ido not limit myself to any numbers of colors in the picture, nor to anyparticular pair of colors or tints. These will of course be subject toconditions. There might be in some pictures only two colors required andin others ten or more colors, and other colors or tints than those namedmay be arranged in pairs.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. The herein-describedimprovement in the art of printing on two-color, lithographic presses,which consists in first selecting two colors or tints, one darker orstronger than the other, which may be superimposed in printing whilewet, without injury to the darker color, and then transferring thedarker color to the first stone or plate of the press and the lighter tothe second stone or plate thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described improvement in the art of printing on two-color,lithographic presses, which consists in first selecting the colors ortints to be used and arranging them in pairs for application to thepicture to be printed, each pair consisting of two colors or tints, onedarker than the other, which may be superimposed in printing withoutinjury to the darker color, and then transferring the darker colorstothe first stones or plates to be used on the two-color press and thelighter colors to the second stones or plates to be used, substantiallyas set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FERDINAND J. KALLENBAOII.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY DISTLER, LOUIS A. TRANBERG.

